Roberta Flack Lets It Be(Atles) Down the Law
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Marylanders Celebrate as House OUT February 24, 2012 | Volume IX Issue 21 Okays Marriage Bill Baltimore BY PHIL REESE Washington Blade County Passes Annapolis – A jubilant crowd erupt- ed into cheers outside the House of Transgender Delegates chambers Friday night, as news broke that lawmakers had ap- Protections proved the Civil Marriage Protection BY CATHY BRENNAN Act in a close 72-67 vote. Baltimore County became the fourth local The dramatic outcome – the bill jurisdiction in Maryland to adopt legisla- passed by two votes, triggering a tion to ban discrimination based on “gen- raucous cheer in the chambers – fol- der identity” Tuesday night, as the County lowed an emotional debate over the Council voted along party lines 5-to-2 to measure that would extend mar- approve the measure sponsored by Ca- riage rights to same-sex couples in tonsville Democrat Tom Quirk. the Free State. The bill now goes to Bill 3-12 – which also bans discrimina- the Senate, which passed a similar tion based on sexual orientation – provides measure last year, and is expected to a cause of action if an individual faces dis- vote on the bill in the coming weeks. crimination based on “gender identity or Gov. Martin O’Malley has made expression,” defined as a “gender-related the bill a priority and testified in fa- identity or appearance… regardless of… vor of it at a House committee hear- assigned sex at birth.” ing. Assuming the Senate passes it —continued on page 3 as expected and O’Malley signs as promised, opponents would have until May 31 to collect 55,736 valid signatures to qualify a measure for the November ballot that would strike Roberta Flack Lets it Be(atles) down the law. distinctive mark on a dozen Beatles to express an ageless attitude of a woman “I didn’t do anything, we all did it,” classics, renewing and refreshing who loves another person. So we went with Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore) them in ways that only Roberta Flack almost a Brazilian feel. As a matter of fact, I said after the historic vote. “And now could possibly do. I spoke with Ms. started at one time to do Portuguese lyrics. we’re sending this bill to Sen. Ma- Flack about her new album and her Trust me, Gregg, that’s a wonderful ques- daleno in the Senate, and we believe career in February 2012. tion. No one has asked me that. And that’s we’ll get this bill passed, and get it to Gregg Shapiro: With such a how I got to this little arrangement we did the governor’s desk, and he’ll sign it vast array of material from which for “And I Love Him” which I think is perfect. right away.” to choose, what was involved in GS: Looking back at your catalog of Clippinger became emotional as the process of selecting the Bea- studio albums, were you surprised to he rose to encourage his colleagues tles songs you included on Let It discover that you hadn’t included a Bea- to support extending marriage rights Be? tles cover on any of them until now? to himself, the six other openly gay Roberta Flack: I think there’s RF: I wasn’t surprised. You probably and lesbian delegates in the Maryland 1,088 or more and it wasn’t it easy. know that I came up through the clubs; a House, their colleague Sen. Richard BY GREGG SHAPIRO What was involved in the final selection was club in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill, Mr. Madaleno, and thousands of same- Still killing us softly more than 40 years my commitment to try to do something that Henry’s. I had artists in the audience at all sex couples throughout Maryland. since the release of her first album, Rober- I thought the songs deserved, their work times handing me songs and telling me “I ask you to vote ‘yes’ because ta Flack, who says she was sure that she deserved, in terms of my musicianship, about stuff that wasn’t even known by the the joy felt by two parents raising chil- “was going to be the first short black girl my musical abilities, and whatever musi- general public at that point. They would say, dren shouldn’t be overshadowed by from North Carolina to be applauded for her cal decisions I would make as being final. “Why don’t you sing a Spanish song? Here fear that the other parent might not knowledge and ability to play Scriabin,” has For instance, I have two versions of “And I I’ll give you the words to ‘Angelitos Negros.’” be able to care for that child in a time turned her attention to the Beatles. On Let Love Him.” The first one is strictly jazz, in Or they would say, “Bette Midler is doing this of crisis,” Clippinger proclaimed to his It Be (429), the diva who ruled the charts the sense that the melody is improvised. But song, why don’t you do that one?” I had that —continued on page 4 in the seventies and eighties, leaves her I felt when I said “And I Love Him” I wanted —continued on page 17 NEWS // LOCAL Area College Students Learning to ‘Bmore Proud’ BY STEVE CHARING Co-Publishers Jim Becker • Jim Williams Over 200 LGBT students representing at [email protected] least 10 Metropolitan Baltimore colleges Executive Editor and universities, convened at the Universi- Jim Becker ty of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) [email protected] on Saturday, February 18. They gathered Managing Editor for the third annual Bmore Proud Intersec- Dana LaRocca [email protected] tions Conference whereby they participat- Production Director ed in breakout sessions covering a wide Bill Andriette range of topics, listened to presentations Sales Director by community leaders, such as Delegate Mary Taylor Mary Washington, who delivered the key- [email protected] note address, obtained related resource Leather Columnist materials, networked with other campus Rodney Burger LGBT individuals and organizations and Contributing Writers Shawn Bradley • Cathy Brennan • Terrence Brower • socialized with their peers. Steve Charing • Jeffrey Clagett • Jeffrey Clouser • Chuck Duncan This leadership summit, under the um- • Gerry Fisher • Eva Hersh MD • Sam Kunz • Jessica Lemmo • Jay Loane • Meredith Moise • Vann Mills • Colin Riley • brella organization the Bmore Proud Queer Gregg Shapiro • College Coalition, promotes awareness and education of queer issues on college Graphics campuses. The conference is the primary Joe Velasquez • Bob Wellington intercollegiate network and clearinghouse Cartoonist serving college and university students/ Bruce Garrett (www.brucegarrett.com) faculty/staff in the Baltimore-Metro LGBT Photographers community. Bruce Garrett • Jay W Photos • Justin Nixon Tami Jackson, a legally wed lesbian, is Web Editor Anja Saine an adult student attending CCBC-Essex. A Participants at the Bmore Proud Intersections Conference, February 18 [email protected] former vice president of the school’s Rain- Managed Web Services The Fusio Group bow Club who will be president this year, who helped him and others attending un- tity?,” “Why Catholics Support Marriage 866-322-7498, www.thefusiogroup.com is determined to enlighten CCBC-Essex on derstand the challenges of this important Equality,” and “BMore Safe.” National Advertising Rep transgender issues. step. During the Resource Fair there were Rivendell Media Margaret Barnett is a UMBC student. From a different perspective, Calla tables set up for such notable organiza- 908-232-2021 She told Baltimore OUTloud, “I want to Thompson is a member of the UMBC fac- tions as The Trevor Project, GLSEN Bal- Founders connect to my community on campus es- ulty who teaches visual arts and photog- timore, Planned Parenthood, New Ways Jim Becker • Joe Berg • Mike Chase • Lee Mooney (1959-2007) • Jim Williams pecially those who can’t come to meet- raphy. She was a presenter of the session Ministry, Black and White and Gay in ings.” “Considerations – Out and Teaching in the America, Chase Brexton, Moveable Feast Baltimore OUTloud Nick is a biology major at UMBC who University Setting.” She discussed “pass- and Baltimore OUTloud. PO Box 4887 Baltimore, MD 21211 is attending his first Bmore Proud event. ing or not passing,” dealing with support- During the keynote address, Del- 410-244-6780 www.baltimoreoutloud.com He had a personal reason for participat- ive and non-supportive colleagues, and egate Mary Washington, fresh off a vic- ing at the conference. “I want to learn a whether or not to censor oneself. tory on marriage equality in the House of Additional Information good way to come out to my parents,” he There were three groups of breakout Delegates the day before, presented her Baltimore OUTloud is published every other Friday by Pride Media, Ltd. in Baltimore, Maryland. Readers comments and explained. sessions that contained an eclectic choice “intersections” – being a woman, an Afri- unsolicited materials are welcomed and may be sent to: editor@ Nick chose a session headed by a of topics. They were interspersed among can-American, and a lesbian and the chal- baltimoreoutloud.com. All materials appearing in this newspaper panel consisting of five representatives three meals provided by event sponsors lenges she faced. are the property of Pride Media, Ltd. and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the editor. of the PFLAG-Baltimore County chapter that included among others, several uni- She noted several key milestones for versities, and various campus organiza- minorities who were elected in the House tions. of Delegates throughout Maryland history. Breakout Session 1 featured such top- Del. Washington is the first open lesbian Westminster- ics as “1 Girl 5 Gays,” “The Resume – Your African-American to hold the post in Mary- 15 Second Chance to an Interview,” Tran- land.